Chapter 186: Are You Afraid of Snakes?

Fujino parked his motorcycle, slung the travel bag that was fixed to the rear seat over his shoulder, and peered into the courtyard through the fence.

The front yard was vast, with a stone-paved path leading up to the entrance of an ancient castle.

At the entrance stood a man in a brown suit with a middle part hairstyle and a double chin, engaged in conversation with a woman dressed in a black-and-white maid outfit.

Honestly, this was the first time Fujino had seen a maid since arriving in this world.

Hmm, rich people really know how to have fun.

Come to think of it, why hadn't he considered this when he was still a wealthy heir?

On either side of the path was lush green grass, and decorative plants were scattered across the lawn.

A man dressed in denim overalls was meticulously trimming the plants with a pair of scissors. Judging by his skill, he must have been the gardener of the estate.

Looks like he's been doing this for more than just two and a half years.

Among the greenery were several large and intricately detailed statues, which Fujino recognized as enlarged chess pieces.

These chess pieces were likely clues to unlocking the cipher in the letter.

However, for someone like Fujino, who already knew the spoilers, they weren't very useful.

If he remembered correctly, all he had to do was rotate a clock in one of the rooms, and he'd find the hidden passage.

"Excuse me, what business do you have here?" 

The man who looked like the gardener noticed Fujino standing by the gate and walked over, asking with a puzzled expression.

"And you are?" Fujino asked.

"I'm the gardener here, Katsuo Tabata," the man introduced himself.

"Is Mr. Mamiya at home?"

Upon hearing Fujino's inquiry, the gardener's demeanor became much warmer. "Ah, so you're a guest of Master Mamiya."

He turned and waved to the man who had been inspecting the chess pieces. "Master Mamiya, you have a visitor!"

"A visitor?"

Mamiya looked over and saw Fujino at the gate.

He walked up to greet him. "Detective Fujino, you've traveled a long way. Sorry for the trouble."

He instructed the gardener to open the gate and then led Fujino into the mansion.

The two walked down the stone path.

Mamiya glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then leaned closer to Fujino and whispered, "Detective Fujino, I didn't ask you here to look for treasure. I want you to investigate the truth behind the fire that happened here four years ago."

"The fire from four years ago?" Fujino asked, pretending to be surprised, even though he already knew about it.

"That's right."

Mamiya nodded and explained, "Four years ago, my mother returned from overseas to celebrate my grandmother's birthday. But on the night of the celebration, there was a fire. The fire not only claimed my mother's life but also killed over ten people, including servants and visiting guests."

"Was it in that tower?" Fujino pointed to the tower he had noticed earlier.

"Yes, my mother died there."

Mamiya's eyes drifted toward the tower. "After the fire, I found things suspicious, so I stayed to investigate. But after four years, I haven't found any useful clues."

"Do you think the culprit is still in the castle?"

"Yes, that's why I used the pretext of searching for treasure to bring you here."

"What's the story behind the treasure?"

"My grandfather mentioned it before he died," Mamiya explained. "He said he left his most valuable treasure in the castle, for whoever could unlock its secrets."

As Fujino and Mamiya spoke, the man in the brown suit approached, having finished his conversation with the maid.

"Who's this?"

"This is my friend, Fujino," Mamiya introduced him.

"Fujino..." The man thought for a moment, then his expression shifted. "Could it be... you're the famous detective Fujino?"

"Just an ordinary detective," Fujino replied modestly.

"My name is Mitsuru Mamiya, Mamiya's stepfather," the man introduced himself, his face still impassive, though there was a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "Master Mamiya, I'm sure your detective friend will find your grandfather's treasure."

"Hopefully," Mamiya replied, his gaze slightly hesitant.

As the three stood by the castle entrance, Mitsuru suddenly spoke up, "By the way, were you two talking about the tower earlier?"

"If you're interested in that tower, I wouldn't recommend going inside."

"Why not?"

Fujino glanced at the tower again and joked, "What, is it haunted?"

"Something like that," Mitsuru replied mysteriously. "Two years ago, a newly hired servant disappeared inside that tower. Before he vanished, he told one of the maids that he had found something interesting in there. We searched for him immediately after, but despite signs of an intruder, we couldn't find him."

"Four days later, the police found him in the nearby woods. He had starved to death. After that, rumors spread that a vengeful spirit in the tower had killed him, and the tower was sealed off. No one has dared to enter since."

"So that's why it's locked," Mamiya said, frowning. "Why didn't I hear about this?"

"You weren't here at the time," Mitsuru explained. "You were traveling."

Mamiya thought for a moment. "Yeah, two years ago I was on a trip."

"Anyway, I won't keep you," Mitsuru said, turning to leave. "Let me know if you find anything. I'd love to see what my father-in-law's treasure is."

Just as Mitsuru was about to leave, Fujino suddenly called out to him.

"Is there something else?" Mitsuru asked, turning back.

"Mitsuru, are you afraid of snakes?" Fujino asked curiously.

"Snakes?" Mitsuru's expression turned strange at the question.

After considering that Fujino was a detective and likely had a reason for asking, he answered, "I'm not afraid of snakes. There are quite a few around the castle, but most are harmless."

"Good to know," Fujino said casually.

...

As they entered the mansion, Mamiya asked, "Detective Fujino, was that some kind of test? Did he act suspiciously?"

"No," Fujino shook his head. "I just thought of something funny."

"Something funny?"

Mamiya was curious but didn't press further.

When they opened the door to the mansion, they were greeted by a grand entry hall. A massive portrait of an elderly man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a suit, hung prominently at the front.

On either side of the large portrait were smaller ones. To the left was a beautiful woman with golden hair in a formal gown, and to the right was a spirited young man.

"The man in the middle is my grandfather," Mamiya pointed to the large portrait. "I look just like him, don't I?"

"Yes, you do," Fujino agreed. "And the others?"

"They're my parents," Mamiya said, glancing at the portrait on the right. "That's my biological father, Sadashō Mamiya. He passed away six years ago. Not long after, my mother married that man you just met—Mitsuru."

"Who is this?" an elderly voice suddenly called out.

Fujino turned to see an old woman in a wheelchair, with graying hair, a black hat, and round glasses. She had a severe, unattractive face and had appeared without him noticing.

"This is my friend, Detective Fujino," Mamiya introduced him.

"A detective?" The old woman seemed surprised, but then her tone softened. "That's wonderful. I hope this detective can solve my husband's riddle and find the treasure hidden in this castle."

As she wheeled herself away, muttering, "Where's my daughter? She promised she'd come back for my birthday," her outward madness hid a more sinister intent—she was plotting how to dispose of Fujino before he could discover the hidden passage.

She had killed too many in her quest for the treasure, and now, one more detective didn't make much of a difference.

(End of Chapter)